Question

Can I use yEd for free? Even for commercial purpose?

Comments

Concerning the the web-based version of yEd (called yEd Live) it is stated on the homepage "Anyone is allowed to use this free version of yEd Live from our website, even in commercial environments and contexts."

consequently I assume the commercial use of yEd Live is allso allowed.

I am right?

Regards
Hanno

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What do you mean by "commercial use" if you think the statement from the yEd Live website does not cover your commercial use?

Answer 1

Yes.

 

The usage of yEd is free of charge and one can even make use of yEd in a commercial environment for free.

yWorks grants you the right to use yEd as an application to create diagrams. This right comes for free for anyone that adheres to the yEd Software License Agreement. E.g. you are not allowed to distribute yEd on your own or use it in an automated process.

The diagrams that you create belong to you. You can use your diagrams in any way you like. For example, you can use yEd to create a diagram that is then used by your company or institution to enhance product documentation, or to better understand internal processes.

 

Important
This answer applies to the desktop version of yEd only, the usage of the web-based version of yEd (called yEd Live) is governed by separate license terms!

Comments

Thanks, can you clarify "You can use your diagrams in any way you like."?  How does that relate to the prohibition on using yEd as part of an automated process?  For example, if I create a yEd diagram completely by hand and save it, can I later take the diagram (the .graphml file) and use it as the input to some kind of tool I write to extract and process information from that diagram?  In other words, does the prohibition on using yEd as part of an automated process relate to just how yEd is invoked and run, or does it also include how the saved .graphml file is used?  Thanks!

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Too bad this project does not use a real open source license.

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"Too bad this project does not use a real open source license." Why "real" ? This wording implies that the license is "somewhat open, but not really completely". Let's say it frankly : this license is in no way near something "open/free", as in any of the definitions accepted by FSF or OSI (or BSD, whatever). That said, yEd is technically a great product, and I'd surely thumbs up if yEd were to be open sourced in any open source license, and spread the word for it.

Note that the "GraphML" file format yEd uses seems to be this one : http://graphml.graphdrawing.org/ , which has been standardized and is publicly (and freely) available. The documentation is not really 100% clear that it is the same format, but since yWorks is a sponsor for http://gd2013.labri.fr/ , it might be (I might have missed the doc page where yEd states that their graphml files are *really* compliant with http://graphml.graphdrawing.org/ , thanks for correcting me if I'm wrong)

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Yes, yEd files are compliant with the GraphML standard from http://graphml.graphdrawing.org/. Since this standard covers mainly the basic structure of a diagram and doesn't include specific specifications for additional data like geometric and graphical properties (size, location, edge paths etc.), yEd stores this information in complex GraphML attributes that adhere to our own specification.

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Great. Thanks for the precise (and quick !) answer. Is there any plan to push those extensions (or part of them) into the GraphML standard ? (or some standard-extension if not GraphML itself)

Answer 2

Hi guys,

 

I read yEd is using a JRE. It even brings one bundled in the download.

Now, in the Enterprise, am I somehow magically free to use this JRE free of charge in 2019 ?

thank you much

Andre

Comments

No magic involved. Depending on which yEd bundle you install, the Java runtime environments included are covered either by "Oracle Binary Code License Agreement for the Java SE Platform Products and JavaFX" or "GNU General Public License, version 2, with the Classpath Exception".

Disclaimer: I am not a laywer, I do not provide legal advice. Ultimately, it is up to you to make sure that you use software in accordance with its license terms